1/200 Bismarck May 1941 by trumpeter

[Perth_shipyard]

further development of funnel. Cranes and searchlight platform installed. Plenty of work left, as i would like to rig the cranes.
Also completed both of the forward catwalks replacing the plastic kit parts with PE.

[Perth_shipyard]

KA also supply the three vents for the base of the funnel as a PE piece. They haven't given any of the other vents so I've opted to leave the funnel vents as they are. To be honest the vents all along the ship look very crisp and have the rivet detail the KA piece has so I'm not so fussed with it. If they had supplied all the vents I may have been more inclined to change them all.

[NigelR32]

This is all looking amazing Anton, and also looking very fragile.

Are you still using the white glue to stick PE to PE, as in the crane platform?

[Perth_shipyard]

Thanks Nigel, not using PVA for the catwalks or anything of substantial weight. I use Zap a Gap CA glue, comes in either thin flow, medium or thick. I'm using the medium as it doesn't set instantly like the thin but has great strength. I put a small droplet onto a tray then use a small dental tool to apply the glue to the parts. Works a treat

The structures are definitely fragile, do I have to be very wary of handling which I try to keep to a minimum.

[NigelR32]

On the subject of ca glue, if available in your Country, try Vital Bond. I find it to be much stronger than Zap and their super thin is like water.It's great stuff, and their activator can be sprayed on plastic and even painted surfaces without any damage. Dont ask me how I know that Zap accelerator melts plastic!!

I really must try your recomendation of thinned white glue. I think I asked before, and can't remember if you answered or not... do you glue directly to the plastic or prime first?

If you have the kit Anton, you should also try soldering on PE parts. It is so much stronger, particularly when making up boxes or any rolled parts, such as machine gun barrel covers.

[Perth_shipyard]

the plastic is washed and air dried but not primed before attaching any PE.

I do solder, but usually only railings, mast etc on my scratch builds. The PE just seems to be too fine, luckily though I haven't found the need to as yet.

[Channell]

It may be a mental illness but seeing so much complex detail done well sure tickles my grey matter!

Now I'm REALLY jealous... I want to be playing with PE too!

[NigelR32]

It may be a mental illness but seeing so much complex detail done well sure tickles my grey matter!

Now I'm REALLY jealous... I want to be playing with PE too!

Make that two of us!!

[Perth_shipyard]

be careful what you wish for hahaha!

6 hours into the PE for the funnelI'm about half way through but it's coming out nicely. The rails around the funnel, like the foremast turret are a right pain.

[Perth_shipyard]

Oh just to let you guys know, not only is there a door from the aft searchlight platform leading into the searchlight housing forward on the funnels, but also the catwalk forward lower have access doors into the searchlight tub.

[NigelR32]

Oh just to let you guys know, not only is there a door from the aft searchlight platform leading into the searchlight housing forward on the funnels, but also both catwalks forward top and lower have access doors into the searchlight tub. The lower goes into the searchlight tub, while the upper two lead into the funnel itself.

Can you please explain this a little better Anton.

I think you are saying the top catwalk goes into the funnel, whereas the lower goes into tub? But, you also say both catwalks go into the tub?

Question, if you leave the searchlight cover open, is the plastic around the top of the tub too thick?

The funnel looks incredible!! I'm surprised they give you a PE platform for the cranes, but the platform above them is OOB?? I would have thought there would be some detail under it??

[Perth_shipyard]

Can you please explain this a little better Anton.

I think you are saying the top catwalk goes into the funnel, whereas the lower goes into tub? But, you also say both catwalks go into the tub?

Question, if you leave the searchlight cover open, is the plastic around the top of the tub too thick?

The funnel looks incredible!! I'm surprised they give you a PE platform for the cranes, but the platform above them is OOB?? I would have thought there would be some detail under it??

My mistake damn old plans and too many of them! ignore the top catwalk door only the bottom catwalk forward has a door leading into the searchlight tub.

Also the plastic doesn't look too thick at all, might need to add some strip to make a sort of coaming though. I'm planning on leaving the port side open and the starboard closed.

The searchlight platform is tread plate steel which is what the plastic part has, while the work platform for the crane below is perforated steel - that's why they've included PE sets for this and not the searchlight platform. Well i assume that's the reason anyway They have missed a ladder which comes down from under searchlight tubs. There's a small platform under the tub, but with the ladders no way of getting two them. I'll add these from some spares.

[Perth_shipyard]

'Sink the Bismarck' is on in half an hour! i must stay up to watch it!! hahaha

[Perth_shipyard]

Some more food for thought. The bracket which supports the crane against the funnel when not in use has been missed so will have to be made up. It's quite simple so not too much of a big deal just annoying.

[Perth_shipyard]

oh and these aren't on the model either. You can clearly see two brackets on the searchlight tubs. They're not part of the lid but the base section.

[Plastic Habit]

The 3D rendering shows a ladder coming all the way up from the top of the hanger to the searchlight tubing, but archive photos do not show them. With ladders going up from the platform to the bottom of searchlight tube, would there need to be added a deck hatch in the tread plate of the searchlight housing?

[Perth_shipyard]

The 3D rendering shows a ladder coming all the way up from the top of the hanger to the searchlight tubing, but archive photos do not show them. With ladders going up from the platform to the bottom of searchlight tube, would there need to be added a deck hatch in the tread plate of the searchlight housing?

There is a ladder there, you can just see it in the last b&w pic of bismarck i posted - because of the size restraints its hard to see but on the original it's clear as day. Also the ladder doesn't go up to the searchlight tub but to the platform under the tub.

[Plastic Habit]

yep, there it is!! I should have checked other archive sites before asking.

So if I have this right(as opposed to last time, haha) that is the ladder running up just along the inside of the forward deck bracing.

[Olaf Held]

Not that it matters here, but Bismarck did not carry a FuMo 21... but angled metal strips for attaching lanterns that belong to the night signalling system...

Great build, keep it coming!


Happy modelling ~ Olaf!

[NigelR32]

What about all that lovely detail under the searchlight platform? Do Ka enhance it at all??